truss rod help

[Bryhey]

Hey all,

I have a Ibanez GSR 200 bass, and I took it to a shop and they took care of the truss rod adjustment....

I was playing it the other day, and i played the A-String (i have a 4 string bass) on the 12th fret and had a fret buzz, but then I played on the 11th fret and did not.

Is there a way of telling if my shop ****ed up on the adjustment, and is there a way for me to fix it?

what are the ideal string clearance heights at the 12th fret on each string?

any help would be great

dunivan

[nivagues]

ditto what SMASH says.

Initially I aim for 3/32" string height at the 12th all the way across, measured in the play position. Then I lower the G a further 1/4 turn (consistent with no fret buzz) and step the A and D down proportionately to meet the G. It's all subjective but, to my mind, I would consider that to be medium/low action.

[Komakino]

If you tighten the truss rod too much can it start to bend the neck irrepairably? If so, what should you do if you're getting buzz but tightening the truss rod within normal parameters isn't working?

[pkr2]

Originally posted by yottskry
If you tighten the truss rod too much can it start to bend the neck irrepairably? If so, what should you do if you're getting buzz but tightening the truss rod within normal parameters isn't working?

No, you can't hurt the wood in the neck with a severely misadjusted TR.

If you are tightening the truss rod to fix a buzz you're going the wrong way with it. You should be loosening it. The truss rod and the strings make up the truss rod system. The tension of the strings tends to raise the action and eliminate buzz by bowing the neck, The truss rod does nothing more or less than counteract the results of string tension.

Very rarely a neck will be stiff enough that string tension wont bend the neck enough to put a bow in the neck if light guage strings are used. Usually, just letting it sit for a day or two, with the TR nut completely loose,while tuned a couple of steps above standard will slowly introduce relief into the neck.

I know, TMI.

Pkr2